Love Don't Die: A Ryden Fanfic

Chapter Nine

"Bren, who's this?" Jenna asked, looking Ryan up and down.

"This is uh," Was it hot in here? It feels hot in here. "This is my umm.. Ryan is-"

"I'm Ryan." His angry look was gone and replaced with a friendly smile. "Brendon's boyfriend." I mouthed a thank you.

"Brendon's what?!" Spencer said at the same time his girlfriend squeaked.

"Who?!"

"My uh, boyfriend." I tried the word out. I liked it. "Ryan, this is my best friend, Spencer and his girl friend, Jenna." I swallowed. "Spence, Jen, this is my boyfriend, Ryan."

"I didn't know you had a boyfriend!" Jenna slapped my arm before turning to Ryan. "You have to excuse my shock. Brendon hasn't mentioned you."

"Not once." Spencer confirmed.

"Oh, that's just like my Brenny." He smiled at me then. "Forgetting to mention the most important things." He faked a laugh and walked over to me, placing his hand on my back. "Like company coming over."

"I, uh, it slipped my mind."

"I can see why!" Jenna gushed. "If I were staring at a shirtless man with a face like that all day, I'd forget things too."

"Hey!" Spencer joked.

"Oh hush you, you have a different way of making me forget things." She winked. Spencer smirked.

"Ew," I laughed. "Get a room!"

"You're one to talk!" Jenna looked at Ryan again. I wrapped my hand around his waist and moved him even closer. I know Jenna loves Spence and all, but I didn't like her wandering eyes. "There's a reason men walk around shirtless. Either he's about to get some, or he's already gotten some."

"Well.." Ryan trailed off and Jenna and I laughed.

"I didn't know you were gay." Spencer said bluntly. All eyes turned on him.

"I-Is that a problem?" I asked. I never thought Spencer would be the homophobic type. I couldn't lose my best friend.

"What?! No. Its just. I'm your best friend. I've been your best friend- your only friend for a long time. And you didn't tell me this? Its not just being gay, it's being in a relationship. I told you as soon as I met Jenna. I thought we told each other everything."

"You're being a little dramatic." Jenna placed a hand on his chest. "Maybe Ryan is a very private person."

"I'm not mad." He said and I could have kissed him. "I just thought we were closer than that." He shrugged as if it were nothing. But I knew it was something.

"Well, I'm sorry for the secrecy. Why don't you two stay for dinner to make up for lost time?" Ryan suggested.

"No, that's okay."

"Spencey, I want to. Please." Jenna begged.

"Fine."

******

Even though Ryan's food smelled weird, it was actually pretty good. The four of us sat at my small kitchen table. Spencer across from me, Ryan across from Jenna. Ryan came up with a brilliant tale for how we met. Apparently it happened a month ago at a grocery store. We'd both reached for the last box of Cookie Crisp and well... The rest is history.

"This is to die for." Jenna said through another spoonful of food. Funny choice of words.

"Thank you. I love to. Cook."

She and Ryan were the only one who kept trying to initiate conversation throughout dinner. Spencer just kept sulking, barely touching his food. And I was so focused on everyone else, I didn't think about it. I think Spencer is really mad. What if he didn't want me with Ryan? I'd have no choice but to tell Ryan to go. The thought made me sad.

I'd also noticed how Jenna kept stealing glanced at Ryan while talking. Or out right staring at him when he was the one talking. It was getting under my skin. Spencer, of course didn't pay attention to his partner. I, however, paid full attention to mine. And I didn't miss the private smiles and looks Ryan was serving back. His eyes were on her the whole night. And I was jealous.

"So that's why you didn't want to stay at my place." Spencer suddenly said. We all looked at him then. Ryan glared.

"What?"

"When I said you could stay at my place to be safe. You declined." He looked at Ryan then. "Some serial murderer was on trial any got away. He's probably going to go looking for Bren. I was going to keep him safe."

Ryan's hand squeezed my knee under the table. He leaned in closer, staring Spencer in the eyes. "I've got that covered. No one will touch Brendon on my watch." He turned to me and kissed the side of my mouth before returning his eyes to Spencer. "No one."